Spiritual Fishing

ICHTHYS

The Gospel of the Twin Thomas is without doubt one of the most important texts to understand the undistorted form of Christianity.  

Scholars found this gospel has an Aramaic substratum which probably mirrors the early teachings of Yeshua. Moreover, some of its 114 sayings –attributed to Yeshua–, complete passages of the canonical gospel, what led some scholars to identify it as part of the famous Document Q that was hypothesized as source of Luke, Matthew and Mark. 
 
The Gospel of Thomas reveals important keys of spiritual insight, such as the following:

(1) And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."

(2) Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over all things.

(8) And he said, "What human beings resemble is an intelligent fisherman who, having cast his net into the sea, pulled the net up out of the sea full of little fish. The intelligent fisherman, upon finding among them a fine large fish, threw all the little fish back into the sea, choosing without any effort the big fish. Whoever has ears to hear should listen!

Countless are the times in which sacred texts regard “humans” as “walking dead”, and stress the need to be resurrected before the death of the physical body, even before the final redemption that awaits those spirits (ruach) that exist waiting in the lower heavens in a semi-conscious state –according to early christian teachings. 

Yet, the anticipated resurrection does not come by itself, out of mere belief, but from the understanding, transformation and faith-confidence gained through an intense process of inner work. And before one gets there, one must realise the miserable state with which the “ordinary shadow” wastes the day, with “fears”, “worries”, “negative judgements”, “likes and dislikes”, "ups and downs" that deprive ourselves from our most precious jewel, our profound nature. 

When one sees this miserable condition, one feels remorse.  

A realisation that inevitably leads to experience the need to “return”, actualizing true Being. Then comes Awe and amazament.

When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished...

Why do we have to be captives, at mercy of “little selfish selves” that steal our right to be real, laughing at us, making us pay the price? 

This is why we are meant to become “intelligent fishermen”, casting out of the net those “little fish”, choosing without any effort the Big Fish.

Now, who is the Large Fish? Why without effort?

A clear answer appears in one of Paul's letters:

I have been crucified with Christ; yet it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatian 2:20)

In other words, spiritual work is not based on the effort of ordinary personality, but rather on a non-effort, which is giving up our pretensions, letting our “buried divine nature” take command and bear our sufferings. Diligence, right attention and discernment take place within the Light of Consciousness that awaits to be realized.

_______________
For a complete version of the Gospel of Thomas:

http://gnosis.org/naghamm/gthlamb.html